Keyless switch-socket for incandescent lamps



N0- 622,|88'. Patented Mar. 28, I899. M. MEYBERG.

KEYLESS SWITCH SOCKET FDR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1898.)

NITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

MAX MEYBERG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

KEYLESS SWITCH-SOCKET FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,188, dated March 28, 1899.

Application filed November 14, 1898- Serial No. 696,434. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX MEYBERG, a cit-izen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Keyless Switch-Socket for Incandescent Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

The particular object of my invention is to provide means whereby by grasping the bulb of the lamp,which is usually the lowest portion thereof, the switch which turns the current on and off from the lamp may be operated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a neat and artistic metallic covering for the switch mechanism and for the metallic jacket which incloses the upper end of the lamp-bulb and through which the circuit of the lamp is maintained. and to insulate such covering from'the electric current without the use of the insulated lining commonly used in such-covering. By my improved sleeve I conceal the metallic jacket of the lamp from view and prevent accidental contact with any live portion of the lamp.

A further object of my invention is to dispen'se with one of the insulating-plates commonly used in key switch-sockets and to do away with the expensive and complicated switch mechanism heretofore employed for making and breaking the circuit.

My invention comprises the various features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, whereby I accomplish the objects hereinbefore specified.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure l is a fragmental side elevation of a lamp-socket and lamp provided with my invention and showing the switch closed to form the electrical connection between the lamp and the direct and. return wires. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the switch open. Fig. 3 is a fragmental view showing the insulatingplate with the contact-point and the stemsocket secured thereto and the lamp having its stem provided with the stud. Fig. 4c is a fragmental sectional view showing a lampinsulating plate provided with a solid stem to afford a firm support for the stud. Fig. 5 is a view of a modified form of switch device suitable insulating material.

adapted to be operated by the lamp. Fig. 6 shows another form.

In the drawings, A represents a socket member or cap, andB represents the ordinary insulating plug or plate, of porcelain or other To the center of this plug is secured asleeve orstem-socket C,which forms one contact-point and is provided with a spiral cam-slot 0, having two stud-seats c 0, respectively. As shown in the drawings, one stud-seat is arranged above the other. A second contact-point D is also secured to the insulating plug or plate, and. the direct and return wires E F are connected one with the socket O and the other with the contact-point.

G is the lamp, which has its stem g provided with a stud g, secured to the stem and adapted to slide in the cam-slot in the socket and to seat in either the upper or the lower stud-seats, as will hereinafter be fully .explained. This stud g may be secured to a sleeve 9, which may be slipped upon the stem of an ordinary incandescent lamp and soldered thereto, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, so as to adapt any ordinary incandescent .lamp for use with my improved socket.

H is a sleeve which is of a size suitable to fit around the outside of the cap A. The top edge of the sleeve is preferably curled or turned slightly inward, so as to engage with a similar curved'or outward-turned portion on the lower edge of the cap and prevent the sleeve from slipping off. Screws h h are inserted through the cap and into the insulating-plug B, so that their heads will project just above the edge of the sleeve and prevent the sleeve from being moved upward until after the screws have been removed. In this manner the screws not only hold the sleeve and cap together,but they hold the plug within the cap, thus simplifying the construction of the socket very materially.-

The inturned or curled edges of the parts are of course formed before they are assembled and simply fit into each other when the parts are in position, as is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. By removing the screws h h the sleeve H may be slipped back over the cap A and free access had to the socket.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a fragment of a lamp provided with a stem G, which is formed of v a single piece of metel, preferably brass, bent at its lower end to form a foot G, which is secured to the under face of the porcelain capplate of the lamp, while the stem projects through the plate and is provided with a minute hole G, into which fits the upper end of one of the lamp-wires. This gives a firm support for the stud g, which is not afforded by the ordinary stem unless the sleeve g is used.

In order to effectually cover all live portions of the lamp, so that by no possible means can a shock be received while handling the lamp when the current is on, I make this sleeve H of a length sufficient to extend entirely below the metallic covering or jacket I upon the top of the lamp and to engage with the glass bulb I of the lamp entirely below such jacket. The lower end of the sleeve may be turned slightly inward, as shown in the drawings, and spring-tongues h" may be provided to grasp between them the upper end or neck of the glass bulb and to yield to accommodate themselves to the shape of the lamp and to allow the globe to be reciprocated back and forth in the socket-sleeve without permitting it to become loose and to rattle. This construction causes the sleeve to contact with the lamp only at one pointthat is, in a circle around the neck of the lamp-the remaining portion of the neck being out of contact with the sleeve and therefore unsupported thereby. As the neck of the lamp is usually smooth, the making of the sleeve larger than the upper portion of the neck, except below the metal jacket or covering I, unless prevented would permit of the neck being canted over to one side or the other by the accidental movement of the bulb until the covering would come in electrical contact with the sleeve. To prevent this, the stem or other connection at the top of the neck of the lamp will engage with the socket on the insulating plate or plug B, 'and thereby hold the stem axially within the sleeve at all times when they are in operative position. As the neck of the ordinary lamp usually begins toexpand just below the metallic jacket to form the bulb, it will be seen that the pressure of the tongues, which may be of any desired length, upon the inclined wall of the lamp will have a tendency to press the bulb out of the socket, and thereby cause the pin 9 to always bear against the wall of the slot 0 and Y prevent its movement or rattling. In addition to these advantages the pressure of the spring-tongues against the lamp can be made sufficiently strong to normally press the lamp outward with such force as to prevent the neck of the bulb from accidentally slipping down into the sleeve if the lamp is used in an upright instead of pendent position, as in the footlights, where the jar upon the stage might cause. a movement downward of the bulb and make a contact between the points when it was not desired that the lamps should be lighted.

In practical operation, the parts being held as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the lam p is raised and turned to the right and the stud g enters the slot 0 and is carried over the rise or incline 0into the lower stud-seat c. When the stud is in this position, the lamp is not elevated sufliciently to bring the metallic sleeve I into contact with the point D, so that the switch is open and the current does not flow through the lamp. IVhen it is desired to light the lamp, it is grasped by the bulb and pushed upward, thus bringing the contactpoint D into contact with the metallic jacket I, thus closing the switch and allowing the current to flow through the lamp. The lamp is then turned toward the right, thus carrying the stud 9 into the stud-seat c and holds the switch closed until it is desired to extinguish the light. To do this, the lamp is turned slightly to the left, thus withdrawing the stud from the seat a, and the lamp is slightly withdrawn or lowered to seat the stud in the seat 0 and to withdraw the jacket I from its contact with the contact-point D.

As shown in Fig. 5, the stud-seats c o" are in the same horizontal plane, and a point I, which is formed integrally with or secured to the jacket I, is adapted to be brought into engagement with the point D when the lamp is rotated or turned to bring the stud g into the seat 0" and to carry it out of engagement therewith when turned to seat the stud in the seat 0.

It will be noted that the sleeve II contacts only with the insulated cap-piece A at its upper end and with the glass bulb of the lamp at its lower end, so that all live portions of the lamp are inclosed and protected within an insulated covering, and it becomes impossible to accidentally receive a shock.

By my invention but a single insulatingplate is needed in the socket instead of the two heretofore employed, and, furthermore, I shorten the socket and dispense with the complicated and expensive switch mechanism heretofore used and employ the very fewest possible number of parts in my improved socket. I

By removing the screws h h the sleeve H, as shown in Fig. 1, may be slipped upward along the supporting-stem, thus exposing the entire switch mechanism to view without removing the lamp from the socket.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the sleeve 0 interbeing provided with spring-tongues for engaging with the sloping wall of the lamp to normally press the same outward; and interlocking means for holding the neck of the lamp axially Within the sleeve and permitting a partial rotation thereof to bring it to a dormant or active position.

2. In a lamp-socket, the combination, with a plate; of a sleeve movably secured thereto; said sleeve being provided with spring tongues for engaging with the sloping wall of the lamp to normally press the same outward; and means for holding the neck of the lamp axially within the sleeve, and permitting a partial rotation thereof, to bring it to a dormant or active position.

3. In a lamp-socket, the combination, with a plate; of acap-piece thereon, the lower edge of which is turned outward; a sleeve over the cap-piece, the upper edge of which is turned inward; and screws through the cap -piece into the plate above the edge of the sleeve.

4. The combination with a lamp-socket; of a lamp secured thereto, the neck of the lamp being provided with a metallic jacket formin gone ot' the contact-points; a sleeve secured upon the socket extending down over the jacket at a slight distance therefrom; springtongues formed upon the end of the sleeve a rotation thereof, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a lamp-socket; of a lamp detachably secured thereto, the socket and the neck of the lamp being provided with interlocking projections permitting endwise and rotary movement of the parts; and a sleeve carried by the socket provided with spring-tongues, which, bearing upon the sloping wall of the lamp, tend to rotate and urge the same outward and thereby to hold the locking projections in firm contact.

6. The combination, with a lamp-socket, one terminal of which forms a central projection, and the other terminal projects at a distance therefrom; of a lamp secured thereto in such manner as to be rendered dormant or active by a longitudinal movement thereof, the neck of the lamp being provided with a central projection forming one terminal, and with a metallic jacket forming the other terminal, said jacket being in position to engage the second-mentioned projection of the socket only when the lamp is in its active position.

7. The combination with a lamp-socket, one terminal of which forms a centrally-located slotted socket, and the other terminal is located at a distance therefrom; of a lamp rotatably secured to the socket, one terminal of which forms a central stem provided with a stud to engage with the slotted socket, and the other terminal forms a metallic jacket in position to engage with the projection of the lamp-socket only when the lamp is in its active position.

8. The combination, with a lamp-socket, one terminal of which forms a centrally-located socket and the other one forms a projection at a distance therefrom, said socket being provided with a spiral slot having two stud-seats in difierent horizontal planes; of a lamp rotatably secured to the socket, one terminal of which forms a central stem provided With a stud, and the other terminal forms a metallic jacket in position to engage with the projection in the lamp-socket only when the lamp is in its active position.

9. The combination, with a lamp-socket, one terminal of which forms a centrally-located socket, and the other one forms a projection, at a distancetherefrom; said socket being provided with a spiral slot; of a lamp rotatably secured thereto, one terminal of which forms a central stem provided with a stud and the other terminal forms a metallic jacket in position to engage the projection in the lamp-socket, only when the lamp is in its active position, said lamp-socket being provided with a tongued sleeve of a greater length than the width of the jacket.

MAX MEYBERG.

Witnesses:

ALFRED I. TOWNSEND, L. O. BECKER. 

